Govt becomes complacent after framing committees, ground situation unchanged

No proper treatment, disposal facilities in many distts

Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 22: Although the worst impact of the bio-medical waste on the environment and health of human beings remains an issue of serious concern across the country, J&K Government has become complacent only after framing numerous committees as a result of which there is no change in the ground situation vis-à-vis strict implementation of Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules and many districts of the State are still lacking proper treatment and disposal facilities.
The Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, which provide for regulatory frame work for management of bio-medical waste, were first published by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests in the year 1998.
However, last year these rules were reframed to ensure improvement in the collection, segregation, processing, treatment and disposal of bio-medical waste in an environmentally sound management to reduce impact on the environment and human health. Accordingly, all the States including Jammu and Kashmir were directed to ensure strict implementation of these rules to achieve the objective behind their reframing.
As per the provisions of Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2016, the General Administration Department Vide Order No.874 dated July 7, 2017 re-constituted State-level Advisory Committee to oversee the implementation of rules and review all related matters.
The Advisory Committee is headed by Administrative Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department and comprised of representatives of Forest, Environment and Ecology Department, Animal and Sheep Husbandry Department, Principals of Government Medical Colleges, Directors of Health Services, Chief Engineer of UEED, Directors of Urban Local Bodies and representative of State Pollution Control Board.
Vide another Order No.875-GAD dated July 7, 2017 even District Level Monitoring Committees were constituted to oversee the implementation of rules at the district level. These committees headed by respective District Magistrates were asked to monitor the compliance of the provisions of these rules in the health care facilities generating bio-medical waste and in the common bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facilities. Moreover, these committees were asked to submit reports after regular intervals to the State Advisory Committee and State Pollution Control Board for further necessary action.
“However, despite lapse of two and half months neither State level Advisory Committee has convened any meeting till date nor the District Level Monitoring Committees have started the work assigned to them”, official sources told EXCELSIOR, adding “this indicates that Government has become complacent by framing these committees despite the fact that merely establishment of committees is not going to bring change in the prevailing situation”.
Stating that these committees should have immediately started work assigned to them, sources said, “the strict implementation of Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2016 is imperative in J&K in the light of the fact that many districts don’t have facility for treatment and scientific disposal of the bio-medical waste”, adding “there is poor implementation of these rules in respect of Government health institutions as compared to private ones”.
“The common facility centre established by a private player in Samba district is handling the bio-medical waste being generated either by the Government health institutions or private ones in the districts of Jammu, Samba, Kathua and Udhampur”, sources said, adding “there is no proper bio-medical waste management facility in Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban and Reasi districts of Jammu region”.
Stating that similar situation is prevailing in many districts of Kashmir valley, sources said, “there was a proposal for establishment of incinerators in District Hospital Rajouri and District Hospital Doda but what happened thereafter is not known and bio-medical waste is not being handled as per the provisions of Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2016”.
“The non-serious approach towards the burning issue is notwithstanding the fact that National Green Tribunal (NGT) had last year observed that collection, transportation and disposal of bio-medical waste by different health institutions in Jammu and Kashmir was not in accordance with the law”, sources informed.
Even Committee on Environment of State Legislature has touched this issue in its reports a number of times with the recommendations to the Government for initiating required measures on war-foot basis so as to check adverse impact of bio-medical waste on environment and human health. “Astonishingly, the situation has remained unchanged”, sources regretted.

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